Combining Trains and Other Hobbies

There used to be a shop in the Maryland suburbs of DC that had trains on the upper floor and guns on the lower. It was all one shop, one owner - he had two hobby businesses in one building. I don't know if it's still there or not. 

Trains and Civil War reenacting

I've posted this before, I'm the guy with the bugle on the left. Wilmington & Western RR.

Perhaps a bit of a stretch, but after years of being fascinated by and exploring old abandoned industrial sites, be they railroad-related or not, I started collecting old bricks. At first I just used them for landscaping purposes, not being able to find out much about the mysterious brands imprinted on them. The advent of the internet allowed me to delve much further into their history and spurred more enthusiastic collecting. While I haven’t gone as far as joining them, there are even brick collector associations, who sponsor local meets. I’ve also used a combination of old government geological reports, and historic and current aerial photographs to locate old abandoned brickyard sites. The best thing about brick collecting is that, unlike model trains, they are free!

My 1/25-1/24 car models go well with the  G gauge we use for our club display module..

I am betting a great number of forumites like myself, find they are into related hobbies:   travel, photography and history (of railroads) and off on tangents they didn't set out on, like collecting model vehicles to stock their layouts...most forms of model railroading force you to learn skills you didn't contemplate and do things you were sure you couldn't. And hopefully open up interests in other areas.

I'm in the process of combining trains with slotcars. In fact I'm intrigued by Lionel's involvement to distribute Scalextric slotcars back in the 1960's. Any guidance on this subject?

I have a nice selection of train related stereoviews. These 3-D photo cards were produced from the 1860s-1930s. My favorites are from the early 1900s.

It if wasn't for having a Christmas layout I would have never gotten into the scratch building hobby, and it is a hobby unto itself.

I started off building my parents' house as a tribute, to be used to display on the layout.   So I built it 1:48 scale.

I've done all of my family's houses and even some other things.  I would have never started this fascinating hobby if not for the desire to place our family home on my layout.

Here's 2012's display.  I am currently building my son's new house so it's not shown in this homage display to my family

There used to be a big store in Grants Pass Oregon called the Train Gallery. Downstairs was an extensive model railroad hobby shop with operating layouts and the owner's personal train collection on display. Upstairs, the owner's wife ran an art gallery.

I keep looking for something train related that's chrome that I could mount to the front fender of my motorcycle but I haven't found anything yet.

It's called LIONEL BUY and SELL.  In Kensington, Maryland.  Still there.  Same business model.  Weaponry and trains.

I'll share what is not a hobby or interest of mine - real trains (and to a lesser degree, model trains).  I really couldn't care less about specific lines, the technology, etc.  My interest in the model train hobby started with the Christmas tradition and grew into the modeling of life, towns, scenery, layout planning, etc.  Beside preferring the look of steam engines and the pre 1960s era look, the actual trains are almost an afterthought for me.  I know this may seem odd to many here, but I'm perfectly happy with things this way because - if for no other reason - I'll never be tempted to drop $1000+ on an engine!

Well...besides my O scale trains, I like real trains.  I managed to relate those two to one of my other hobbies which is my wine cellar and collecting red wine.  We live about an hour away from the Napa Valley and go there frequently to "replenish" my cellar.  We have been on the Napa Valley Wine Train many times.  They serve lunch, dinner and excellent wine!  We love the dome car!  Matt

    I purchased 3 "real" RR crossing signal relays at a swap meet.  I only wanted one to put on the top of a vintage console radio that I have, but the vendor made an offer that I couldn't refuse and I took all 3 that he had.  After cleaning them up, I decided to try and build a layout scene around 2 of them.  I thought they might make an interesting small power station complex.  Below is the result so far...

 Oh boy, here goes...

Well if you're into electronics, sound systems, mechanics, engineering, a repairman, a machinist, a carpenter,  an artist, an advanced model builder, like to tinker (well you'd better), have disposable income, and a lot of patience, this is a combined hobby!

 You guys got time left??

 I just dabble.

When I was into electric trains, I was also in to Doo Wop Music. The slower, the dreamer the better. My favorite song is Let Me Love You by George Goodman and the Headliners.

Golf is my other hobby.

.....

Dennis

I have a large collection of Meccano and Marklin "erector sets" as well as collecting Sansui Quadraphonic receivers.  My wife wishes I had less expensive hobbies, but I have cleverly convinced her that they are "investments".  I'll never sell any of it...

I used to always keep busy..every which way and sideways, & up and down..

rep56, back in the day, in California, they ran these cars called "whomp whomps". They were so fast that you literally could not follow them with your eyes.  It was all about timing the throttle after learning the track and they could go around in two or three seconds.  Do you run those?

Hi SUSOUEKNIGHT:

Information of vintage slot cars is available at this forum:

http://www.homeracingworld.us/index.php

Sign up and join in!

Hi David: 

I believe the name is "Womp Womp", mfg'd by Parma.  I've raced them in the past, but not now.

Richard, Nice 1/32 slot car track- well done. Is this analog or digital?

Digital controllers with DOS software on the computer shown, it kept lap times for each lane, scale MPH and race settings for time that would just shut power to evaluate stats at times end , REALLY cool home set up have never seen another like it to be honest. I had a fellow from s.carolina come up and purchase it, it all broke down for transport. That was 5 years ago and he built a special room for it and has it today.

Boin wonderful pictures. Reminds me of the time I lived in the bay area and used to visit Napa area. I lived in Fremont and used to make the comute North up the Nimitz evey day. The traffic took me awhile to get used but it soon became like "white noise" and I was ok with it. Loved our time in the Bay Area.

Big train with wine, little trains with wine, it's all intoxicating in a good way.

This is probably one of the best subject threads I look forward to reading.  It is very interesting to see the involvement of other forum members in hobbies other than O gauge trains.  Whether it is bike riding, collecting hub caps, classic cars, flying, etc. all events show that hobbies of any kind are part of a healthy way of living.

I have been either collecting or operating Lionel (and others) trains since I was discharged from the Navy back in 1973.  Lately I started electric R/C planes and Military vehicle restorations.  I have a restored M274 USMC Mule, a 4 wheel drive, 4 wheel steering Military ATV used in the Vietnam war.  It is a hoot to drive.   My son and I are leaving Sunday, taking my "mule" to a military vehicle swap/show meet in Lodi, California. 

TEX

Steve

My hobby is Guitars I mixed it with trains by trading guitars or amps for trains. Now my wife thinks I have to many guitars

Trains are my winter hobby, the rest of the year its motorcycles. Our last cross country trip included stops at the Kentucky RR Museum, Cumbres and Toltec, Durango and Silverton, Grand Canyon RR, Kingman, AZ (Northern Loco and SF Station), Chattanooga Choo Choo,  and a few more. I stop for trains.

Pete

Since I retired from my job as University instructor, my hobby time is divided between trains and shooting.  I never hunt, but I use my collectible guns to put holes in paper targets as accurately as possible.

The rest of my time is mainly invested in writing.

Well, I'm gearing up for my other hobby this weekend.

Flying Model Rockets - and not just the ones you can get anywhere...

Estes models use 1/2A, A, B, C or D size motors.

Each letter allows double the power of the lower one.

My current favorite Rocket burns an H. Yes, I am Certified to buy those.

Not sure why the picture won't show of the old one, It Showed in the Preview.

And I have a new one that's even bigger 

And now I have used 3D Modeling software from work to design yet a Bigger one.

The one I'm now building is nearly a foot in diameter at the bottom, not counting the leg shrouds. The new one will be 40 inches tall.

See my website for lots of pictures.

Ways to combine rockets with trains.

Vintage tin lithography knows no bounds..rail, air, or sea. 

Avoid street congestion..as well. Climb to dazzling heights!

Anything that moves under it's own power. Human or otherwise. The guy on the tractor has a strange resemblance to Mario. New occupation incognito..driving at a dazzling 100MPH!

In addition to O and HO, I'm into old trucks and farm equipment.  If I ever get a layout built, I'll display some of my diecasts.  I have an ERTL farm equipment dealer ship and some lean to sheds to use in it.  I also have a K-line gas station and some Matchbox wreckers, and quite a few of the ERTL 1/43 die cast cars and trucks as well.

Any model railroad could find room for a blimp, and you don't have to make excuses for it hanging around in the same place.

I share my wife's hobby, horse riding. She does the riding, I learned the ground work, training and other things like keeping reins and saddle in good condition.

I had to. My wife always had that dream, her own horse. As it's stabled out of town I didn't like the idea, my wife on her own outdoors. So I decided to keep her company.

That's how it begun. Never knew a horse could give that much fun. I'm not ashamed to admit I love that animal. She's from Spain, an Andalusian mare called Ibicenca, but everybody calls her Ibi, easier to pronounce here.

Model railroading, building model ships, and since I was old enough to think about driving, sports cars have been my hobbies all my life.  Today toy trains bring my much more pleasure, as they did when a young child. 

Measured purely in total time devoted, models ships were my major hobby. Over a 30+ year period I scratch-built a set of eighteen 1:87 (HO scale) models - one of every major class of warship in the British Navy during the Napoleonic wars: I used repainted Prieser figures as sailors and put several hundred on each of the larger ships.  Since railroads did not really exist to any extent during the Napoleonic era there is no overlap.  When I had my N gauge layout I scratch built a 1:160 scale Liberty ship for a port area, but that's it. 

I certainly spent the most money - and time when in my 20s and 30s - on sports cars,  owning just about every iconic brand, mostly one or two at a time, and roughly in order of price, from low cost (MG, Triumph, Fiat) up through Austin Healeys, Jags, Alfas, Lancias, Porsches, Masers and Astons and finally to the car I dreamed about in high school: a high end Italian job with all the right goodies, custom built by the factory - which ironically I drive very little - getting too old. 

Connection to model railroads: weak.  I actually went as far as getting a quote to have my current  car painted in Warbonnet.  Is already red, and mid-engined (so its shape would look good in that scheme, I thought, particularly with Santa Fe written along the rocker panel and custom made scrip Super Chief embplems.  But me three boys were adamant and talked me out of it - the car should be preserved as it left the factory, they said. 

-->So my sports car obsession rolls over onto my train layout only in the unrealistically high portion or cars parked along the streets in my 1950s downtown that are sports cars, and four used car lots/garages: one for early muscle cars, one for British and American sports cars, one for German sports cars, and a "factory" for Italian sports cars evocative of the Alfa, Ferrari and OSCA formula one team buildings in the very early '50s.

I retired in 1997 and promised myself that I was going to take advantage of every minute God gifted to me.  In short, I have kept the pedal to the metal ever since. So many hobbies but not enough time.  Toy trains are pretty much a year round interest but my train activity spikes from November until just after the April York Meet and then my interest shifts to Spring gobbler and trout season in the mountains of West Virginia until the middle of May.  After that, outdoor cycling season begins which keeps me busy to the tune of about 200 miles a week for the entire summer and early autumn.  I can combine my love of trains with outdoor cycling when biking along the C&O Canal in Maryland, West Virginia and Washington DC.  The canal runs parallel to the old B&O line which has plenty of AMTRAK as well as freight activity.  It makes for great train watching.  October and November belong to hiking the Appalachian trail anywhere from New Hampshire to Virginia and then to squirrel, fall turkey and deer hunting.  American civil war history and writing a family history take up my sedentary evening hours.  Of course, I also must admit that I spend a great deal of time browsing this highly entertaining and educational forum.  The bottom line is that we get one ticket for this ride through life so if we are able we should make the most of it.